Symbolic illustration of a floodlit football stadium at night with an empty green pitch and a football resting on the centre circle.
Sports & Cricket
India edge Pakistan 3-2 in SAFF Championship opener
Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice in six first-half minutes as defending champions India beat Pakistan 3-2 in their SAFF Championship 2026 opener at the National Stadium in Dhaka.
⚡Key Highlights
Premium
Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice in six first-half minutes as defending champions India beat Pakistan 3-2 in their SAFF Championship 2026 opener at the National Stadium in Dhaka.
Special coverage and in-depth reporting from the Sports & Cricket desk.
Key analysis, background details, and full reporting below.
Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice in six first-half minutes as defending champions India survived a second-half fightback to beat Pakistan 3-2 in their SAFF Championship 2026 opener in Dhaka.
By StoryTimesNow News Desk — 05 November 2026, 5:03 PM IST
Illustration: a floodlit stadium under lights.
Key Takeaways
What happened: India beat Pakistan 3-2 at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday, 5 November 2026, in the Group B opener of the SAFF Championship 2026.
Who is affected: The defending champions take early control of Group B; Pakistan must beat the Maldives on 8 November to stay in the semi-final race.
What next: India face the Maldives on Tuesday, 11 November. The semi-finals are on 14 November, with the final on 17 November.
India opened the defence of their SAFF Championship title with a 3-2 win over Pakistan in Dhaka on Thursday, surviving a late fightback after racing into a three-goal lead inside the first half-hour. Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice in six minutes and Manglenthang Kipgen added a third as a second-string Indian side, led by under-23 coach Naushad Moosa, dominated the opening 45 minutes.
Pakistan, who missed a first-half penalty through Shayak Dost, pulled two goals back after the break, but India held on for the win.
What Happened?
India, the record nine-time champions, made a fast start. Bhat opened the scoring in the 13th minute, heading in a driven cross from Muhammad Suhail, and celebrated with Cristiano Ronaldo's trademark 'Siuuu' gesture. Six minutes later the Mohun Bagan forward doubled the lead, racing clear onto a through ball and finishing calmly past goalkeeper Yousuf Ijaz Butt. Kipgen made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute, latching onto a through ball from Noufal P.N. and chipping the ball over the onrushing Butt.
Pakistan had a golden chance to pull one back three minutes later, winning a penalty after Mohammad Hayyan Khattak was brought down inside the box, but Dost blazed his spot-kick high over the crossbar. India went into half-time firmly in control, and the second half brought a double change from Moosa on the hour, with Bhat and Muhammad Suhail making way for Farukh and Ebindas. Pakistan fought back with two goals in the closing stages, but India saw out the remaining minutes to secure the win.
Why Does This Matter?
The result matters for more than the three points. India fielded a depleted, second-string side, with only 17 players available and several senior players not released by their Indian Super League clubs. Winning the derby in those circumstances, with a team built around under-23 players, is a strong statement about the depth in the squad. It also continues India's dominance of this fixture: India have now won 16 of their 29 meetings with Pakistan, who have won only four, and the defending champions have not lost to Pakistan in a senior international for 21 years. The previous SAFF meeting ended in a 4-0 win for India in Bengaluru in 2023.
For the title race, the win puts India in early control of Group B, while Pakistan face a must-win game against the Maldives.
Important Details
Match: Pakistan 2-3 India, SAFF Championship 2026, Group B, Matchday 1
Date and kick-off: Thursday, 5 November 2026, 3:00 PM IST
Venue: National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Half-time score: Pakistan 0-3 India
India scorers: Suhail Ahmad Bhat (13', 19'), Manglenthang Kipgen (32')
India starting XI: Arsh Anwer Shaikh (GK); Valpuia, Nikhil Prabhu, Bijoy Varghese (captain), Uvais; Ricky, Himanshu Suryavanshi, Kipgen; Muhammad Suhail, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Noufal P.N.
Background and Context
The SAFF Championship 2026 is the 15th edition of South Asia's main men's national-team tournament. It runs from 5 to 17 November, with all matches at the National Stadium in Dhaka. Six teams are taking part: hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan in Group A, and India, Pakistan and the Maldives in Group B. India are chasing a record-extending 10th title, having won the tournament nine times since 1993. Pakistan's best finishes are third in 1997 and joint-third in 2018.
India named a young 28-member squad, with the senior side's focus on two friendlies against New Zealand on 12 and 15 November. Eighteen players arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday, with the rest due to join after release by their ISL clubs. Pakistan faced a similar problem, with more than half of their first-team players based outside the country.
What Happens Next?
India's second and final group match is against the Maldives on Tuesday, 11 November, also kicking off at 3:00 PM IST in Dhaka. Pakistan face the Maldives on Sunday, 8 November. The top two teams from each group qualify for the semi-finals on 14 November, with the final on 17 November.
All SAFF Championship 2026 matches are streamed live in India on the VETO app, with no television telecast.
What Readers Should Know
A draw against the Maldives on 11 November would guarantee India a semi-final place, while a win would secure top spot in Group B.
FAQs
What was the score between India and Pakistan? India beat Pakistan 3-2 in their SAFF Championship 2026 Group B opener in Dhaka on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
Who scored for India against Pakistan? Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored twice and Manglenthang Kipgen added the third in the 32nd minute.
When is India's next match in the SAFF Championship? India play the Maldives in their final Group B match on Tuesday, 11 November 2026, at 3:00 PM IST in Dhaka.
Sources and Verification
The goal-by-goal account is drawn from live coverage by NDTV Sports, India TV and the Daily Jagran, which recorded India leading 3-0 at half-time and through the 72nd minute. The full-time score of 3-2 is taken from Sportradar's match data. Tournament details are from the All India Football Federation's preview carried by ANI, Olympics.com and Sportstar. The identities of Pakistan's second-half goalscorers had not been confirmed by any published source, so they are not named here. All sources were accessed on 5 November 2026.
This match report is based on live match coverage and match data published on 5 November 2026. The full-time score is taken from Sportradar's match data; where a detail had not been confirmed by a published source, it has been left out rather than assumed.
